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Three blackened cod tacos topped with cabbage slaw and lime crema on a dark plate, shot at a 45 degree angle

Blackened Cod Tacos with Crunchy Lime Cabbage Slaw

Four servings of three tacos each, about 42 g protein per serving, ready in 34 minutes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 366

Ingredients
  

Blackened cod
  • 700 g cod fillets (4 fillets, about 175 g each); about 2 cm / 3/4 inch thick, patted dry
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil 1 tbsp per batch
Cabbage slaw
  • 300 g green and red cabbage thinly sliced, about 3 mm
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro / 15 g; chopped
  • 3 tbsp lime juice from about 2 limes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
Lime crema
  • 200 g plain nonfat Greek yogurt (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 garlic small clove; finely grated
  • 1/8 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tbsp water to thin
To serve
  • 12 corn tortillas 6-inch
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Method
 

Make the slaw and crema
  1. Toss the cabbage, green onions and cilantro with the lime juice, olive oil, honey and 1/4 tsp salt in the 4-quart / 3.8 L bowl. Set it aside for 10 minutes so the cabbage softens slightly and still crunches.
  2. Stir the Greek yogurt with the lime zest, 1 tbsp lime juice, grated garlic, 1/8 tsp salt and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl until pourable. Refrigerate until serving.
Blacken the cod
  1. While the slaw sits, pat the cod dry with paper towels. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, black pepper and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl. Brush the fillets with the melted butter, then press the spice mix onto every side until coated.
  2. Heat the 30 cm / 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp avocado oil and lay in two fillets. Cook about 2 1/2 minutes without moving them, until the underside forms a dark brick-red crust. Flip once and cook another 2 1/2 minutes, until the center is opaque and reads 145 F / 63 C. If the spices turn jet black or smell bitter before the 2-minute mark, the pan is too hot. Pull it off the heat for 30 seconds and drop to medium.
  3. Move the first two fillets to a plate. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and cook the other two fillets the same way. While the second batch cooks, wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave them on a plate for 40 seconds.
Assemble
  1. Flake the cod into large chunks with a fork. Divide it among the warm tortillas, top with slaw, drizzle with the lime crema and add a lime wedge. Serve right away, within 10 minutes of assembling.

Notes

  • Cook two fillets at a time so the cast iron stays hot.
  • Brush butter onto the fish, not into the pan, so it doesn't burn.
  • Pull the cod at 145 F / 63 C, not later, or it turns dry.
  • Check the corn tortilla label if you need gluten-free.
  • Run the exhaust fan before the skillet goes on.